


Class

by kathkin



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (1963)
Genre: F/M, I tried to keep direct references to The Five Companions to a minimum tho, epilogue to The Five Companions, wee bit of essential info in a/n
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-31
Updated: 2015-05-31
Packaged: 2018-04-02 06:02:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4048924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kathkin/pseuds/kathkin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Ben still felt out of sorts in a posh place like this, as if any minute now one of the smart waiters was going to say 'what are you doing in here, you grubby little oik' and toss him out on the street.</i> In which getting caught up in an exciting adventure with daleks, Sontarans and dinosaurs makes Polly late for her dinner engagement and Ben is very confused.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Class

**Author's Note:**

> So: in _[](http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/the-five-companions-subscription-exclusive-684)The Five Companions_ , Polly and a group of other former companions get time scooped into an adventure with the Fifth Doctor. Polly was picked up on her way to a fancy dinner and spends the whole audio shoeless because her high heels were so inappropriate for adventuring in. Also, she and Ben are married.

He wasn’t _worried_ , exactly. Cause Polly’d never been the best at time-keeping and she was forever getting held up at work, and yeah okay, of all the dinners to be late to she would pick this one, but – not worried. A bit irked at being left alone in the restaurant for – he checked his watch – forty minutes. He still felt out of sorts in a posh place like this, as if any minute now one of the smart waiters was going to say _what are you doing in here, you grubby little oik_ and toss him out on the street. Polly was his class. So long as she was there, he felt like he fitted.

His second drink of the evening arrived. He swirled the glass around, mentally preparing a crack to make when she arrived – _finally decided to show your face, eh – thought you’d stood me up, Duchess_ – and turned absently towards the door.

And choked on a mouthful of gin and tonic. “Polly?” She was hurrying towards their table, looking like – _in a state_ didn’t even cover it. She looked like she’d walked through a hurricane. Her hair was coming down from its do in thick clumps. There was a long tear all up her smart skirt, and a dark stain on her blouse that looked unnervingly like blood.

“Oh, Ben,” she said, throwing herself into her chair. “Am I late? I’m sorry. I was so hoping I wouldn’t be late.”

“What ‘appened to you?” he said. “What ‘appened to your _shoes_?”

“Oh, that’s alright, they weren’t expensive,” said Polly with the briefest of glances at her bareshod feet. “You wouldn’t _believe_ who I ran into on the way over here.”

“Eh?” said Ben, still profoundly baffled – and then he knew. Really, who else _could_ she be talking about? “Oh, bleedin’ ‘ell, Polly –”

“Though actually, it’d be more accurate to say _he_ ran into _me_ ,” said Polly. “Oh! And he’s got another new face. And he’s actually quite dishy, would you believe?”

“He was here?” said Ben. Just his luck, the Doctor finally stopping by for a visit and he’d gone and missed it. Although judging from the state Polly was in, that might have been for the best.

“No, no,” said Polly, “I was just walking along the street and – whoosh!” She motioned. “I was somewhere else altogether.”

She slumped back in her seat, seemingly exhausted – and then at last took in her surroundings properly. People at nearby tables were starting to give her surreptious looks, too polite to actually gawp. And Ben was staring at her in astonishment. “Are you alright?” he managed. “Is that –” He gestured at the stain on her shirt.

Polly looked at the stain as if she’d only just noticed it. “Oh, it’s not mine,” she said. “Actually, it’s not even human. How late am I?”

“About half an hour,” said Ben weakly.

Polly bit her lip. “Could be worse,” she said. “Oh, but I was _so_ hoping I wouldn’t be late. Where’s temporal relativity when you need it? Honestly.”

Ben continued to stare. This was – not how he’d expected his evening to go, yet oddly, he found he wasn’t really surprised. Of course. Of bloomin’ _course_. He thunked his glass down on the table, took his head in his hands, and began to laugh. Polly joined him, and there they both were, giggling their heads off in the middle of their posh restaurant.

“I really _am_ sorry,” she said as she sobered.

“It’s alright,” said Ben, leaning back in his seat and wiping away a tear. “You’re ‘ere now.” And still in one piece. “You’d better give me the whole story, though.”

“Buy me a drink first,” said Polly.

Ben snorted. “You look like you need it.” He flagged down a waiter and ordered another two gin and tonics.

By the time they arrived, Polly was well into her story. “And you wouldn’t _believe_ how big a tyrannosaurus is,” she said. “Its _head_ was the size of – oh, thank you.” She took her glass, flashing the waiter a grateful smile. He gave her a quizzical look in return. “Thanks awfully.” She took a sip – a big sip. “Where was I?”

“Tyrannosaurus,” Ben supplied.

“Oh, yes,” said Polly. “I – oh.” Suddenly she came over all bashful. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?” said Ben.

Polly raised her glass. “Happy anniversary, Ben.”

Oh, hell. He’d almost forgotten. “It’s alright.” He hefted his glass. “Happy anniversary, Duchess.” They drank, silently, to twelve years, and even managed not to get the giggles again. “Alright,” he said. “Tyrannosaurus?”


End file.
